Painting your walls is one tough and tedious work-and a costly one at that, considering that you’ve invested on expensive lacquer so it will last longer. However, when time has passed and paint is starting to say its final goodbye to your walls, it may not really be a very pleasing sight to see.
Brittle paint is caused by a number of factors. It could be because you used low-quality paint or you spread it too thin; not using a primer before application on bare wood can also be a culprit. The most common reason for flaky paint is humidity and temperature changes, which affects its elasticity and flexibility.
It may not be as simple as the carpet cleaning that you do in your Gold Coast home, but dealing with flaking paint early on is necessary for the maintenance of your abode’s over-all state and appearance. So how exactly are you going to do it without breaking the bank? Read on for tips!
Use a wire brush.
Flaking paint could start off as small and almost unnoticeable. This is where wire brushes come into play—you can use them to scrape peeling paint off your walls. Feather the edges of loose paint and remove them completely, then repaint.
Sand the surfaces.
Apparently, there is one technique that could help you in “conditioning” your wall before you apply paint on it. Sanding involves the rubbing of a sand sponge on the wall’s surface to even out the coarse parts. This ensures that the paint will settle easily on the walls without it having a grainy texture. You may also opt to sand the surface in between coats for a smoother finish; just make sure that you let the coatings dry before you do so. After sanding, use a tack cloth or vacuum cleaner to remove the dust that has accumulated.
Do the necessary repairs.
Before you retouch the paint on your walls, make sure that you inspect them for possible damages that need repair. These damages, whether big or small, will always affect how your paint job will turn out. For holes and cracks, fill them up with patching compounds. Start with spreading small amounts of the compound in and over the holes and cracks, and apply more if needed. Let it dry completely before proceeding to painting.
Clean the area.
Paint has the tendency to easily peel off if the surfaces of your walls are covered in oil or filth because dirt reduces paint adherence. To remedy this, use a damp or soapy cloth to remove all traces of grime and oil. Afterwards, wipe off with a clean and soft rug then wait for it to dry thoroughly. Aside from cleaning, you could also prolong a painted wall’s life by not forgetting to use a primer before actually layering on the paint. The primer protects the surface from nasty moisture, which is one of the primary reasons why paint doesn’t cling to your walls for a longer period of time.
Paint jobs can cost an arm and a leg, that’s why it’s important to check your walls for early signs of flaking so you can prevent further damage and budget blows. Follow these tips and you’re sure to kiss your paint problems goodbye!